


Dandelion Boy

by FallingFlowers



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Angst, Boys Kissing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fools in Love, M/M, No Magic AU, Not So Unrequited Love, merlin is adorable and i will protect him forever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 04:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18631231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallingFlowers/pseuds/FallingFlowers
Summary: Merlin sells newspapers on the streets in the late 1890s, and as a newsboy, he is homeless, living on the streets, saving the little money he earns to pay for food when he can. Then, one day, he sees Arthur, who is undoubtedly rich, but is like a golden sun in Merlin's smog-filled world. Merlin wants to bring Arthur flowers, but being so poor, he can only afford to go to a nearby field and pick a bunch of dandelions, not knowing they're considered weeds...





	Dandelion Boy

**Author's Note:**

> hey y'all!! I'm back again, had this bout of inspiration and I had to write it. I tried to make it historically accurate but I'm also very lazy so if there's mistakes I'm sorry
> 
> Also!!! Wanted to tell y'all that my longer fic Regicide is still happening!! I haven't disappeared okay it's going to happen!!! It's just exam season right now and I haven't had the chance to get it done, though I'm pretty close to the end.
> 
> Anyway, hope you love this!!

"Extra! Extra!" Merlin called out, holding the newspaper headline up as passers-by glanced over at him. He was standing in front of his newsstand, the papers hung up behind him blew in the wind. Clasping his hat so it wouldn't fly away, he looked out over the crowds from the crate he was standing on top of. It seemed like he would have a slow day, no one bothering to give him more than a look as they walked on in their busy lives. He sighed, stepping down from the crate and leaning back against the stand.

This was how life went on for him, day after day. Selling papers was his entire life, but he barely had any possessions to show for it. The publishers paid him pennies, and his few belongings were all he had. His home was on the streets, and he slept in back alleys when he could. Even if he had wanted to search for better work, if he walked into an interview they would take one look at his scraggly form, torn clothing, and dirt-painted face before sending him away immediately.

There was no one who wanted an uneducated eighteen year-old, no one but the higher-ups who knew he would work for virtually nothing. At least he was an adult, though. His heart ached every time he saw little Mordred with his heavy stack of papers, lugging them around in his hands and on his cart. Whenever Merlin could, he'd share some of his food with Mordred, but these days he barely had enough money to feed himself each day.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin climbed back up on his crate, ready to restart his exclamations about today's headline— _Pendragon & Co. _had invested a great deal into the supposed automobile business, apparently knowing it would grow quickly. It wasn't as exciting as some other headlines over the years, but the people always had to have their news, no matter what it was.

As he glimpsed across a sea of heads, several turned toward him, but his eye spotted a figure pushing past the bodies, heading toward his stand. At first, the stranger's face was covered, but as he came closer Merlin caught sight of his face.

He was the most beautiful man Merlin had ever seen. His blonde hair shined even on the cloudy day it was, as if it didn't need to reflect light to show off how silky it looked. He had lightly tanned skin, blue eyes that seemed as if the color bursted out to greet him, and full pink lips that made Merlin's own lips quiver with the desire to kiss them. Merlin's legs went weak, for a moment, and he stumbled off of the crate, losing his balance. He didn't fall, but an arm reached out to grip his shoulder and hold him steady.

"Alright?" The golden god asked, and Merlin found himself looking straight into those deep blue eyes he knew he wouldn't mind drowning in. He shook his head, blinking in case for some reason he was seeing things, but the man stayed, a light smile playing on his face.

"Oh, um, yes." Merlin responded, finally, blushing as he stood up straight and the man's hand left his arm. His heart beat frantically in his chest, not knowing how to act now that he had made a fool of himself in front of such a beautiful—and rich, he looked, wearing that suit—man. "Er-, paper?!" He said, shoving the news he was holding onto the man's chest in an attempt to make some sort of conversation. Internally, he scolded himself for being such a dimwit—what if the man didn't even want the paper?! But then, when he'd pushed it onto him, Merlin had felt his strong chest and he would definitely do anything to feel it again.

The man chuckled, grasping the paper, pulling it away from his chest. Merlin let a smile grace his lips, happy even if the gorgeous specimen was laughing at his own expense. It was likely that they would never meet again, and Merlin was content to look his fill because of this.

"How much do I owe you?" The man asked, meeting Merlin's eyes.

"Five cents." Merlin said, but even before he'd responded, the man had placed a handful of nickels in his hand, it must've been about a dollar, and he was already turning to leave. Merlin's eyes widened, reaching out to grab the man's arm and pulling him back. He turned around and gave Merlin a curious look. "This is too much, I can't take this. At least let me give you change?" The man smiled.

"You're very kind—what's your name?"

"Oh, it's Merlin."

"You're very kind, Merlin, but I'm sure you deserve the extra payment. Keep it all, and thank you for the paper." He started to walk off again, but Merlin knew he only had one more chance, so he pulled on his arm again.

"Wait, what's your name?" He asked, almost breathlessly, not sure if the answer would save him or send him to sleepless nights filled with thoughts of his golden god. The man smiled at him.

"Oh, it's Arthur. Arthur Pendragon." And then he was turning away, obviously in a hurry to be somewhere, because this was  _Arthur Pendragon_ , singular heir of  _Pendragon and Co._ Merlin, had he been standing on the crate, surely would have stumbled again, not knowing what it was like to be in the presence of someone so high up on the social ladder. He didn't feel he was worthy, not when he was a mere pebble sitting on the concrete as busier, more important people passed by constantly.

He might not see Arthur again, but if he did, he wanted to find some way to thank his golden god. Also, he wanted to declare himself, in some way. Merlin didn't have anything of value, and he knew Arthur would never feel anything for him, not when he looked like  _that._ There must have been something he could do, though, to show his gratitude as well as express how beautiful he thought Arthur was.

As he walked down to the publisher that night, to give them to the cart of leftover papers and the payment, he remembered there was a field nearby. The publisher's building was located right on the edge of the city, and behind it there was lush grass that went on for miles. There  _had_ to be wildflowers in that field, Merlin concluded. The next morning, he could go and collect some before getting to work, and give them to Arthur if he saw him! He hoped, desperately, that he would be able to see Arthur again...

Later that night, he ate like a king with Mordred, in the side alleyway of a modern-man's restaurant. Each bite he took brought glimpses of Arthur into his mind, and he sighed thoughtfully, leaning back into the brick building. Mordred looked at him, nudging him with an elbow, too busy eating to form words.

"I met someone today, Mordred..." Merlin said, and Mordred raised an eyebrow at him, whilst chewing. Merlin laughed, "he was amazing, and he was the one that gave me all the extra money. You should've seen him, Mordred... He walked on the streets as if he was the son of Apollo, where the light would shine down on him even when the clouds covered the sun."

"You sound like you're in love!" Mordred laughed, and Merlin blushed. It wasn't love, couldn't be—not yet, at least. Even if he wanted the fondness stored in his heart to rise into something that was even capable of being equated to love, it was unlikely Arthur would see him as anything but a news boy. "Is he worth your love, Merlin? Am I goin' to have to rough him up a bit?" Merlin chuckled, running a hand through Mordred's hair and messing it up. Growing up on the streets had made him tough, and though he was only eleven, he had a fire in him that many his age didn't. He was bright, too, and Merlin was always disappointed over the fact that he'd never been able to go to school.

"Enough about that, did you find anyone to take you in tonight, or are you staying with me?" Being young, Mordred sometimes had luck finding someone kind enough to let him sleep inside at night, whether it was on the floor or in a hotel's stables, anywhere was better than the cold concrete.

"I found someone, but are you goin' to be alright? I heard some people say it's goin' to rain. I might be able to convince 'em to take you on too, they'd believe that you're my brother."

"They might, but then they wouldn't trust you anymore, expecting we'd steal their stuff. It's better if you go alone. I'll be fine." Merlin said, a hand resting on Mordred's shoulder. "Go on, now, before it gets too late. It's going to get dark soon."

After Mordred left, Merlin stayed in the alleyway by the restaurant and used his sack of belongings as a pillow, somehow finding a way to sleep.

~•~

In the morning, the first place Merlin went was to the fields. There were tall grasses and wildflowers scattered all around, and as the sun rose on the horizon the sight calmed him. He smiled, loving the beauty that surrounded him, breathing in the fresh air and the scent of the flowers. Looking down, he searched for something that he thought Arthur would love, something that would reflect the golden light that he emanated. There were tall stems with small purple flowers at the ends, and short stemmed pink-petaled ones with yellow centers, or medium height ones with blue flowers.

None of them, however, compared to the golden-yellow flowers that seemed to be  _everywhere._ They seemed to be an exact replica of the light that radiated Arthur, and there were so many of them! Enough that Arthur would never be flowerless for the rest of his days! The thought of himself giving Arthur flowers day after day fluttered through his mind, and he imagined Arthur accepting them, placing a kiss on Merlin's cheek before going on his way, grasping the flowers in his hands that held all of Merlin's love for him.

And so, he picked as many of the golden flowers as he could, making sure the stems were long enough but not too long, making a bouquet of them. He reached into his bag and ripped a piece of newspaper off, tying it around the flowers so the bouquet would stay together. Looking at them, he smiled, hoping with all his heart that Arthur would come to the stand again today and Merlin would have the opportunity to give them to him.

As he made his way to the publisher's to pick up his papers, he had a spring in his step. The flowers were held in his hand until he retrieved his cart of papers, and then they were safely tucked into his bag as he made his way to his stand. When he arrived, he immediately was received by the morning rush, as people essentially threw their change toward him as they picked up a paper from the cart, before he'd even had time to set up. He stood back and let it happen, keeping an eye out for a certain golden god, but he found no sign of Arthur, and frowned.

Shaking his head and running a hand through his hair, Merlin reminded himself it was still early, and Arthur hadn't arrived the day before until well past noon. There was still time, and even if he didn't show, it had been unlikely, anyway. He probably shouldn't have even gone through the trouble, not when Arthur wouldn't be coming, not when Arthur would never see him as anything more than a paper boy. He scoffed to himself, what had he been thinking? That Arthur Pendragon would just  _arrive_ , up to Merlin's newsstand, again? It was impossible, there was no way–

"Hello? Merlin? Are you alright?" Arthur asked, and when Merlin's head tilted up to look at him, he found he was even more godlike in the sun. There was no way he wasn't related to Apollo, with how his hair shined and his skin was perfect and his eyes were beautiful. His beauty was ethereal, and Merlin found he could barely contain himself because of it.

"Yes, um–" and then Merlin stumbled, again, falling back against the newsstand, and Arthur reached out to steady him, coming closer and gripping his arms.

"Whoa, whoa, are you really alright?" Arthur was concerned, he  _looked_ concerned, and all Merlin could think was how he shouldn't look like that, not for Merlin. No, Arthur surely had bigger things to be concerned about, being the heir of  _Pendragon and Co._

"I'm fine, I'm fine, um, thank you." Merlin stood up straight, swiping his hands down his shoulders to brush off invisible dust. As he looked down, he noticed the flowers had fallen out of his bag, and he almost gasped, but before he could, Arthur spoke.

"What are those weeds doing around here? And why are they bundled up like bouquet?" Merlin's heart might as well have stopped. He bent down and picked them up, trying his hardest to keep his hand from shaking. He turned his head to Arthur, tilting his head and trying to convey a questioning tone without his voice breaking.

"W-weeds?" He asked, unable to stop his voice from shaking. Arthur gave him a curious look, but continued on.

"Yes, Merlin. Dandelions are weeds because they're pesky and difficult to be rid of. I do wonder, though, what might have made someone bundle them up like that, when they probably meant to toss them." Merlin nodded, tossing the bouquet into the public trash right next to his stand—his heart went with it. How could he have been so stupid? "I'll take a paper, then."

Arthur took his paper, once again placing far too many nickels in Merlin's hands before he was off, leaving Merlin's heart to fall apart before it had even been offered. He stared as Arthur passed through the crowds, until even his hair was gone from view, and a cloud covered the sun, as if noticing the hurt Arthur had caused. Merlin sank down against the stand, tucking his legs into his body and wrapping his arms around them. He wanted to hide away, beneath the clouds and away from the light of the sun—all it did was remind him of Arthur and how much of a fool he'd been.

_What are those weeds doing here?_

His words played through Merlin's head over and over again, and the embarrassment felt like it would never fade away. He tried to draw his thoughts away, but he didn't even have the energy to stand up on his crate. Somehow, he did find a way to stand, holding the paper in both of his hands, the headline facing outward.

"Extra... Extra..." He tried, but his voice was scratchy with the tears that had begun to fall down his cheeks. The people passed by too quickly to notice the lonely news boy with shaking hands, tears flowing down his cheeks. But Merlin was there to stay, even when the rain started pouring at midday. The papers were wet, and the publishers were going to take out of his pay for it, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He'd made a fool of himself.

Merlin sat against the stand and let the water come down. Apollo was gone, and his sun wouldn't be coming back until the storms wee finished. It was cold, the rain, but he didn't own any blankets—they would have taken up too much space in his bag. Even if he'd had one, it wouldn't have helped anyway, he'd only have gotten even more soaked.

~•~

Mostly everyone had run to find somewhere dry as soon as the rain had begun, but as it went on there were a few stragglers who stuck to the sides of the buildings to keep as dry as possible. Merlin had stayed at his newsstand the entire time, not bothering to find anywhere even after he'd stopped thinking about Arthur. But then, he heard loud steps coming toward him, and when he looked up there was Arthur, walking quickly to him with another concerned glint in his eye. He was holding an umbrella, and when he was finally in front of Merlin he reached out a hand.

"Why are you still out here? It's been pouring for  _hours_ , Merlin, you could catch your death!" Arthur said, frantically. Merlin took his hand, letting himself be pulled up, leaning against Arthur as he shivered, unable to comprehend anything but the cold he was feeling. "Come on, let's get you to my hotel, it's just down here."

Arthur has wrapped an arm around Merlin's back, tugging him close as they walked down the street toward wherever Arthur was staying. As soon as he was inside the lobby, the warmth flooded into him, but he still clung tightly to Arthur's waist, letting himself be pulled up a single flight of stairs before they walked down a hall and into the room. The lamps were lit, and there was a single bed that sat against the wall. This was no common man's hotel, Merlin was sure. Arthur definitely had money in order to be staying somewhere like this.

"You should remove your clothes—I have some you can borrow." Merlin wrapped his arms around himself, rubbing his arms up and down, shivering whilst soaked. When Arthur turned around after having rummaged through some drawers, he held a pair of silk pajamas out to Merlin.

"Oh, oh no, I couldn't. Those look very expensive and I wouldn't want to ruin them." Merlin tried, but Arthur placed the pajamas on the bed and took Merlin's cold hands in his own. He took them each one by one and tried to rub the warmth into them as he spoke.

"Merlin, money isn't a problem. Please, wear them, I have several other pairs. Let me just go and get you a towel, so you can dry off before you dress." Merlin nodded, unable to do more than just give in. Arthur turned into another room off to the side of the bed—there was another room? And Merlin heard a door open and shut before Arthur returned with a soft-looking towel in his hands. He gave it to Merlin, who ran it over his head and down his arms, effectively drying his skin. Then, Arthur turned around and went off into the side-room which Merlin vaguely saw held a divan, a table, and a few other pieces of furniture.

He changed into the red pajamas quickly, unused to how the soft material felt against his skin. Afterward, he felt a deep tiredness immediately set into his bones, and the bed was right there. Surely, Arthur wouldn't mind if Merlin took a short nap? While it hadn't rained the night before, there had been disruptions while Merlin had been asleep and he hadn't gotten enough rest.

As he enveloped himself under the covers, he fell asleep.

~•~

When Merlin woke up, it was pitch black, and he had almost forgotten where he was. He remembered Arthur, Arthur's room, Arthur's bed, and then he felt someone shift beside him. When he turned to look, Merlin found Arthur, asleep beside him, in the same bed. He was surprised at the fact, and it made his heart beat so fast in his chest again, until he found himself rolling off the bed and onto the floor. He hit it with a thud, followed by an unwanted groan slipping from his lips.

"Wha... Merlin?" Arthur said, sitting up in the bed as Merlin stood up from his spot on the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry for disrupting your sleep, but Arthur you really didn't need to let me stay here for so long you could have woken me before dark and I would have left you shouldn't have had to carry my burden and I'm so sorry–," Merlin rambled, but Arthur cut him off.

"Merlin, you're not a burden. This bed is big enough for two men, please go back to sleep." Arthur said, and without a word Merlin slid back into the bed, unable to argue further though he knew he shouldn't have been where he was at that moment. He kept his back to Arthur, not wanting to face any awkwardness that might come out of trying to sleep on his other side.

"Merlin...? Are you still awake?" Arthur asked, softly. Merlin hummed, close to slipping back to sleep but awake enough to hear Arthur's question. Then there were a hand on his shoulder, turning him around to face Arthur and there was nothing he could do to resist. He yawned, looking to Arthur for why he'd asked. "Those... dandelions today... were they yours?"

Merlin went completely still. How did Arthur know.  _How did Arthur know?_ Arthur must have felt it, because he frowned.

"Were you... planning to give them to someone?" Merlin couldn't stop himself from nodding, even as he was holding in his tears because Arthur knew, Arthur definitely knew and Merlin was going to be kicked out because Arthur wouldn't want a dirty newsboy who had developed a fondness for him in his bed. There was no way.

"Were you planning on giving them... to me?" And then Merlin couldn't hold in his tears anymore, nor his sobs, and let it all out. He expected to be thrown from the bed, tossed back out onto the streets where he wouldn't be able to reach Arthur, where he wouldn't receive his kindness, nor his warm bed, nor his silk pajamas.

But then, Arthur was pulling him close and resting a hand on Merlin's head, letting him cry into his chest and shushing him softly as well. Merlin could only imagine what fate held for him now, that Arthur didn't return his feelings but was too kind to hurt him, so he would let him go slowly, in the morning, after his initial pain had been. That's who Arthur was, too kind to let others hurt, and that was why he had brought Merlin to his hotel room, trusted him even though he was a street dweller. Merlin pulled his head out of Arthur's chest, sniffling.

"I'm so sorry, Merlin. I had no idea, had you given them to me, I would have accepted them like the precious gift they were. Any gift from you would have been cherished. Forget all that I said about dandelions being weeds, they're still beautiful flowers and had you had the opportunity to give them to me before I so stupidly spoke, I would have loved them." Arthur sighed, and his hand went from Merlin's hair down to his back, slowly rubbing calmingly up and down.

"Really?" Merlin sniffled, rubbing the tear tracks off of his face with his hand, not wanting to ruin Arthur's silk pajamas.

"Yes, Merlin." Arthur placed a kiss on Merlin's forehead. "Go to sleep now, we'll talk more in the morning, alright?" He pulled Merlin even closer, then, tangling their legs together and resting his chin above Merlin's head. Merlin's breathing eventually evened out, Arthur's hand resting over his back, and they fell asleep.

~•~

The next day, Merlin arrived to his stand with a smile on his face. He and Arthur hadn't spoken much that morning, but Arthur has said he'd be by the newsstand later after he took care of some business, and had kissed Merlin's cheek before leaving. He sighed, content, sitting on his crate after the morning rush had dispersed. He couldn't help but think of Arthur, wondering when he'd be by.

Then, Mordred was walking past and saw him, immediately pulling himself and his cart over to Merlin, jumping on him and wrapping him in a hug.

"Where were you last night?! I thought you mighta died!"

"Oh, I found a place to stay during the storm and fell asleep there. He let me stay overnight. You shouldn't worry for me, though, Mordred. Care about yourself first. Did you find somewhere to stay?"

"Yeah... the nice lady let me stay in one of the rooms again, free of charge! She was really nice, brought me some food and everythin'." Merlin smiled at Mordred's excitement.

"I'm glad. Maybe she'll let you stay again?"

"Hope so." Mordred smiled, and Merlin scooted over a bit so Mordred could sit on his crate with him. They sat and chatted, selling papers, putting on a show for the crowds when they felt like it. It was an afternoon that went by quickly, in laughter and commentary. It was the most Merlin had smiled in weeks.

They were resting when Arthur finally arrived, and Merlin stood up eagerly, ready to greet him, but Mordred pulled on his arm. He was rugged back to face Mordred.

"Is this  _him_?" Mordred asked, staring Arthur down from afar.

"Yes?" Merlin said, and as Arthur approached, Mordred stood up on the crate, making him tall enough to be face-to-face with Arthur. Then, he pushed his sleeves up and gripped Arthur's collar. "Mordred! What are you doing?!" Merlin said, trying to pull him off the crate, but Mordred was determined to stay and stay he would.

"You, mister! You're  _him!_ Don't you dare hurt Merlin, or I'll hurt you!" And then Mordred let go of Arthur's collar and stepped down from the crate. He turned to leave, but not before spinning around and saying, "I'll be watching you!" Before running off, tugging his cart around behind him.

Merlin finally took a glance at Arthur, who was now in a state of disarray from his collar being pulled away. At first, Merlin thought Arthur might make some sort of comment on Mordred, but he just laughed the whole ordeal off, and Merlin found himself laughing along with him.

"Was his name Mordred?" Arthur asked, and Merlin looked at him curiously.

"Yes, why?" Merlin asked, and Arthur chuckled.

"My sister, Morgana, has been letting him stay over at her home in the city some nights. She's far too kind to let such a young boy sleep on the streets at night—she's grown a bit of a sweet spot for him." Merlin smiled at the admission, happy that Mordred was being looked after.

"That's very kind of her." Merlin said, taking a step closer to Arthur and running a hand down his sleeved arm.

"Yes, it is." Arthur said, smiling, "oh! I have something for you!" He said, and Merlin was about to tell him he didn't have to bring him anything, but then Arthur pulled his other hand out from behind his back, and he was holding a bouquet of dandelions. They were beautiful, and he was holding many more than Merlin had had the first time. "Merlin, I think you're beautiful, so I brought you beautiful flowers, though they don't compare to your own beauty." Merlin giggled, his face tingeing pink quickly, and as Arthur tugged on his wrist and led him into an alleyway nearby, he followed wordlessly.

And when Arthur put the bouquet in one of his hands, before pressing Merlin up against the wall—hands on his waist as Merlin's wrapped around his neck, one hand holding the bouquet—and kissing him, he kissed back with equal fervor.

And the dandelions, constantly studded through the grasses, usually seen as weeds, grew to be beautiful, golden flowers.

~•~

_Eight months later..._

Merlin was cocooned in bed, wrapped in Arthur's arms. When Arthur had needed to return to his countryside estate two months earlier, bringing Merlin with him had been no question; they'd already been staying together for the six months before that, with Arthur refusing to ever let Merlin sleep on the streets. From now on, where Arthur went, Merlin would follow, because neither of them could ever be without the other for too long. The love Merlin had initially imagined when he'd first seen Arthur had blossomed into something he'd never thought it could be.

"Mm..." Arthur murmured, nuzzling into Merlin's hair, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck. "We need to get up soon... Morgana and Mordred will be arriving..."

"Not anyone too important, then? We can sleep late." Merlin complained, turning over to face Arthur, and rubbing his eyes. When his vision cleared from the sleep haze, he saw Arthur looking back at him, and placed his hand over Arthur's cheek, stroking it with his thumb.

"Oh, you know how Morgana is, she would yell at us as soon as she arrived, if we looked the least bit unkempt."

"Unfortunately, I do know that. Oh, and Mordred will be enthusiastic to tell about what he learned with his tutor this week."

"He's been improving very quickly, Morgana's told me." Arthur said, grasping Merlin's hand in his and moving it to kiss his palm.

"Oh, yes, I'd always know he was very bright, from the moment I met him."

"So you always say," Arthur chuckled. Merlin smiled, leaning in to place a peck on Arthur's lips, before fleeing the bed and hearing Arthur groan behind him. "Don't leave me like that!"

"It was your idea to get up!" And when Arthur somehow managed to pull him back onto the bed, beneath him, claiming his lips, well, Merlin wasn't planning on denying him. There was no reason to, anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> hey!! thanks for reading!! 
> 
> kudos and comments are welcomed!! please tell me how I did!! :)


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